PHILLIP ACT - IP Australia will replace the current Trademarks Goods and Services list (the AU picklist) with the Madrid Goods and Services (MGS) list in 2024, a press release stated by IP Australia. 

The MGS list is a database of terms used to classify goods and services for trademark applications in the Madrid System. It's used by the World Intellectual Property Agency (WIPO) and many international trademark offices. It contains a wider range of terms than the AU picklist. 

Adopting the MGS list will align Australian classification standards with international best practice. This change will make it easier for Australian exporters to protect their trademarks in other countries. 

This change is expected to take place in March 2024. At that time, we'll also be introducing a semantic search function. This update will help customers find terms on the MGS list that have a similar meaning to the term they're looking for. This makes searching the MGS list easier and ensures a seamless transition from the AU picklist.

IP Australia will continue to engage with customers in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition to the new system.

The adoption of the MGS list follows an update to our specificity practice in October 2023, which requires more clarity for broad claims of goods and services in trademark applications.

The new system will help reduce the number of issues for Australians filing internationally and provide access to a more comprehensive database of trademark classification terms.